SECRET ROMANCE: Oliver has revealed that he and Kym fell in love [WENN]

The hunky soap star has confirmed the rumours that he had a passionate affair with his Corrie castmate before she divorced hubby Jamie Lomas, but insists that it wasn't just a series of "drunken fumbles".

In an interview with the Mirror, the 32-year-old claimed that the relationship was "real", saying: "I don’t know if our relationship was the cause of Kym’s divorce or just the catalyst – they had problems in their relationship already.

"But what happened between us wasn’t just a careless fling. It was real. Sadly, at the time, I thought Kym would never leave Jamie so I decided it was time to get out. It couldn’t go on the way it was."

Oliver, who played Dr Matt Carter in the soap, even said that the pair had planned a future together, saying: "We loved each other and we weren’t afraid to say it. It wasn’t ­something we intended to happen, but we couldn’t stop our feelings.

SCANDAL: Oliver admitted to having an affair with Kym [PA]

“Kym said she thought about me all the time and I was the same”

Oliver Mellor

"We planned a future together. We dreamed about me moving up North and living together. We spoke of how wonderful life would be."

Oliver and Kym had worked together since 2010 on the cobbles, but only started to get close in February 2013, just five months after Kym's wedding pictures were sold to OK! magazine.

Soon, Oliver, who was in a five-year relationship, and Kym started to get flirty on set – and shared their first kiss on a Valentine's day cast night out.

After Mellor left the soap to be in a play, he realised how much he missed his secret relationship, saying: "I hated not seeing Kym every day at work. We missed each other so much we would be in touch as much as we could. Kym said she thought about me all the time and I was the same. I knew she felt bad because she often mentioned she didn’t want to hurt her family.

"Her biggest fear was causing upset for anyone, especially her children and even Jamie. They didn’t have a good relationship but she didn’t want to hurt him."

But soon, the dark-haired hunk, who split up with girlfriend Charlotte just weeks after leaving Corrie, realised that their illicit fling was going nowhere: "I thought she meant it when she said we were going to be together...and perhaps she thought she did. But looking back, she was never going to leave him for me.

ILL-FATED: Kym and Jamie divorced after it was revealed that Kym cheated on him [TWITTER]

"At the time I thought it was love – we both did. But when it came down to it, she was too scared of what would happen if Jamie found out."

Oliver even lifted the lid on the sexual relationship he had with Kym, admitting that they only spent the night together five times due to the former Hear'Say singer's paranoia.

He dished: "The only times we were able to be intimate were at one of her friends’ houses.

"We went to a hotel once when she was down in London for an awards ceremony but she was so convinced we would get caught it ruined it.

"She had to check in then I had to arrive separately and go straight to her room. Any excitement that came with sneaking around in the beginning disappeared and I started to lose faith we were ever going to be together publicly."

WHIRLWIND: Kym filed for divorce after she was exposed as a cheat [WENN]

Oliver is now dating model Rhian Sugden, who he claims has taught him what "true happiness" is.

Kym was finally granted a divorce two weeks ago after splitting with husband Jamie last year.

The couple, who have one child, Polly, together, were thought to be on the rocks after rumours of an affair began to swirl – but it was Kym who filed the divorce papers.

Her marriage to Jamie was her second, following her ill-fated relationship with Eastenders actor Jack Ryder.